Over the centuries, all fighting art forms such as boxing and/or the martial arts have developed training apparatuses to improve on various skill sets required to execute their fighting techniques or form. These apparatuses have ranged from simple devices such as skipping ropes which improve foot speed, to more complex machines such as the various resistance training machines currently available. All fighting art forms demand a high level of athleticism, speed, timing, balance, and strength. These skills are the fundamental driving forces of any modern athlete, and effective pre-event training is the key to success in an athlete's sport of choice.
Modern athletes have learned that isolating particular skill sets vastly improves their ability to compete in their particular sport. For example, a boxer or mixed martial artist may break up his or her training sessions to incorporate skipping rope, for foot speed and coordination; lifting weights, to improve strength; punching of a heavy bag, to improve striking and strength simultaneously; using a treadmill, to improve cardiovascular; using a speed ball, to improve hand-eye coordination, speed, and timing; using a medicine ball, to improve plyometric motion; and sparring which integrates all the above-mentioned skills.
Athletes and coaches are always looking to different training apparatuses and techniques to obtain a further advantage over their competitors. Many of these apparatuses however have a number of shortcomings. For example, in boxing and/or mixed martial arts, prior art training apparatuses have their shortcomings such as speed bags, double end bags, or maze balls. The disadvantages and shortcomings for these particular apparatuses are explained below in detail.
The speed bag is a teardrop shaped bag with a rubber air bladder disposed inside of it. It is attached directly to a swivel which is screwed directly to a backboard. By hanging so close to the backboard the speed bag has a very fast rebound. Fast enough that it can bounce off the backboard three times between strikes. A user does not hit the speed bag with the knuckles on their fist as they would when throwing real punches. Instead, a user hits a speed bag with the side of their hand similar to a karate chop, but with the hand balled up in a fist. This kind of strike is called a hammer fist strike. Equally, a user strikes the bag with a hammer fist in a circular motion and has to continuously hit it like this in a rhythm in order to keep the speed bag moving. Notably, it is against the rules in boxing to hit with a hammer fist and this style of throwing punches in a circular motion would likely not hurt an opponent.
The maze ball is another tear drop shaped bag. It is weighted with sand and hangs from a chain that can be hung from anything. You push the bag and as it swings you practice evasive head movement. It does not have a backboard and it is not made to be struck. It is very slow and therefore not a very effective training apparatus.
The double end striking bag also uses a tear drop and/or a round shaped bag. In use, the double end bag can help a user to develop speed, accuracy, foot placement and reflexes. However, the double end bag is not ideal for developing power and the user can develop a lazy habit of not hitting the ball, but instead, letting the ball bounce off their fist from the kinetic energy generated from the movement of the ball.
In light of the shortcomings in the prior art, there is definitely a need for a striking apparatus in the fighting arts such as boxing and/or the mixed martial arts that combines the features of a speed bag, a double end bag, and a maze ball, but is more effective than all three.